


The End of a Thousand Year Wait

by The_Gay_Shakespeare (GroundZeroFirework)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Title 2: Byleth Done Goofed, Alternate Title 3: Byleth Fucked Up, Alternate Title: Byleth Does An Oopsie, F/F, I'm going by wiki spoiler and a few lets play information, I'm writing this at work what is wrong with me, I've Never Played the Game, Immortal!Byleth, Reincarnation, Silver Snow Route, please go easy on me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 02:53:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21154382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GroundZeroFirework/pseuds/The_Gay_Shakespeare
Summary: And so, for a thousand years, she wandered the earth, looking and waiting for some sign that Edelgard would return to her one day.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome! I have become Fire Emblem trash as well! For those of you who don't know me, I am The_Gay_Shakespeare. Also known as GroundZeroFirework. That's why I tagged that name as a co-creator because I am them and they are me. In the comment sections of gay Fire Emblem: Three Houses fanfics, on the other hand, you may know me as eccothedauphin. Anyways, I wrote this fic at work because this stupid plot bunny will not leave me alone; basically what happens when you read too much sad Edeleth fics. I have not played the game, tbh, and I'm just going on whatever info I got from the wiki, spoilers on Twitter, and a few let's plays I've seen but still I hope you guys enjoy this. Anyways, read on and cry with me!

_ “I wanted...to walk with you…” _

Those were the last words Byleth Eisner ever heard from the final Emperor of Adrestia. Before the end came for her. Before she herself struck her down with the Sword of the Creator. It was swift, painless, but above all, most think it was callous. A fitting image for the Ashen Demon. The one who killed without so much as a hint of an expression on her face. Once the battle was over, people whispered that she was probably relieved to have put down the Mad Emperor.

But they were wrong…

She wasn’t relieved. She took no pleasure in cutting down her most precious student. Or any of the students that stood against her, for that matter. It hurt to strike them down but doing the same thing to Edelgard was what hurt the most. She was the Black Eagles’ professor after all and because of that, she and Edelgard grew close. Close enough to start a relationship with one another, in fact. Byleth thought things were going so well for them until it happened...

Her father’s death. The incident at the Holy Tomb. The one where Edelgard was revealed to be the Flame Emperor all along. Her beloved had begged her to join her cause. To help her topple the church. To remove the shackles that kept mankind chained down for so long. To end the crest and class systems that has hurt so many and prevented so many from living their lives to the fullest. That was when she committed what she now saw was her biggest mistake; she sided with the Church. Not long after that, came her five year rest. She awoke to a world in chaos. Claude went missing, Dimitri is insane, the rest of the students joined the resistance army against the Empire, and Edelgard...

Edelgard had declared her war on the Church. Despite Byleth’s feelings for her, she could not join her beloved. She made her choice all those years ago when in that tomb and in doing so, she had signed her beloved’s death warrant. Not that she knew that at the time. And so, battle after battle after battle came and went and finally, they were at the end. Defeated, Edelgard begged her, implored her to strike her down, preferring to die by her own hand than anyone else’s. Otherwise, the war would continue until one army dies out. Something she knew Byleth could never allow to happen. So, she did. Byleth killed her. And when she put down the insane Rhea and rose to become the leader of a united Fodlan, Byleth realized that what she did was all for nothing.

Her next steps were hypocritical of her as she took Edelgard’s ideas and turned them into laws. She ended the crest system that saw so many women and children used and abused by greedy men. Byleth also ended the class system that prevented others from gaining the same opportunities because they weren’t nobles. And in the midst of this process, Byleth realized that this could all have come to pass if she had just sided with Edelgard. If she had just sided with Edelgard all those years ago, the world would have still been a better place and they would still be together. With nothing much to do, she kept up her work as Fodlan’s leader, waiting for the day when death would claim her and reunite her with Edelgard.

Until they noticed that she wasn’t aging.

Seteth chalked up her immortality to her fusion with the Progenitor Goddess and once again, Byleth’s hopes were shattered. She would never see her father, mother, and students in whatever came next after death. She would never see Edelgard again. The thought of it broke her non-beating heart more than she thought it could. For a few more years, she settled her affairs and decided on a worthy successor before stepping down to wander the world in search of another purpose. Fodlan was at peace. It no longer needed her to keep an eye on them. Once she had abdicated, she left as soon as she could, taking only her clothes, some money, and a small portrait of Edelgard with her.

And so, for a thousand years, she wandered the earth, looking and waiting for some sign that Edelgard would return to her one day. Byleth would keep tabs on the descendants of her students every now and then, ensuring their legacies lived on. It was one of the few things that kept her sane, apart from the occasional visits to Flayn and Seteth. She took up painting as well and surprisingly, she became good at it. This hobby has kept her from forgetting the faces of her students, even long after they died. Ah, death. Their deaths was another thing that stung her. Every time one of them passed on of natural causes, it was only a bitter reminder that they would get to go where she couldn’t; that even if their spouses and children passed on before them, they would see one another again. For a few good years, Byleth was embittered. Until she realized that there was no point in being angry. It wouldn’t change her situation anyway.

So, she wandered. And waited for her beloved’s return. She wandered and waited, changing her identity every few decades. There were even times when Byleth prayed to the goddess inside her, begging Sothis to bring her back to Edelgard. That if she could just spend a few decades being happy with her, she would be content with never dying. But no answer ever came.

And so, she waited once again. She watched the world change and progress and was grateful that the peace she and her students fought for was never broken. And now, here Byleth was, at a coffee shop in front of the nearby museum, watching people and cars pass her by. It was funny; who knew that eventually, the world would invent the same technology that the Agarthans had from thousands of years ago. The coffee shop was playing a ballad by Thea Macneary, a descendant of Dorothea and Petra if she recalled her notes correctly. It was a nice song; she had her ancestor’s voice. Her listening had to end, however; the museum was about to open and there was an exhibit she was eager to see.

* * *

Byleth entered the museum with a brochure in one hand, following a group of Almyran tourists through the new exhibit.

“So, here we have portraits of the last Emperor of Adrestia, Edelgard von Hresvelg. Fun fact, most of the portraits of her were actually destroyed after the war that brought on the unification one thousand years ago. It was a miracle that this one and a few others even survived. It was rumored that Queen of Unification, Byleth Eisner, rescued these paintings before they were burned. Though, it’s likely to be true as they were found by the Church in her private collection years ago.”

Byleth winced yet again. She remembered that day as if it was yesterday.

xxx

_ “What is it, Seteth?” She asked him as she looked up from the papers she was reading. _

_ “There’s something you must know.” He said before pausing, as if he was hesitating to tell her what she needs to know. Under her gaze, however, he caved almost immediately. “Some people are burning portraits of Edelgard. An attempt to erase the Mad Emperor from history according to some.” _

_ Byleth made a conscious effort not to show her shock at the news. Immediately, she was at a crossroads: let the people have what they want and increase the chances of the world forgetting Edelgard or raise suspicion and prevent it from happening. Almost immediately, she made her choice. _

_ “Let them do it. I doubt someone like Edelgard can be forgotten by burning a few of her portraits anyway.” She coldly said. With a bow, Seteth made a move to leave but before lingering by the doorway. _

_ “I’m sorry. I know how much she meant to you.” He said before completely leaving. Once she was sure her privacy was secured, she pulled a necklace from her robes. It was the Black Eagle pendant Edelgard gave her during her birthday. Before the White Heron Cup. And with that she made another choice. _

_ In the dead of night, Byleth stole a wagon, made the trip to Enbarr, and took a few portraits of Edelgard to be kept away for her eyes alone. _

xxx

Byleth snapped out of her reverie once she noticed that the group was beginning to move away. She, however, lingered behind to look at the painting before her; it was Edelgard, when she was a mere 17-year-old and the newly crowned Emperor of Adrestia. At the time, she wasn’t wearing her crown of horns yet. Instead, she wore the crown her father donned when he ruled. Yet all the same, the painter managed to capture her features perfectly; her snow white hair, her determined lilac eyes, and even her pink lips, pursed into a straight line. Oh, she would give anything to feel them against her own once again. Things could have been so different if she just stayed with her. She imagined such a scenario so many times in a thousand years; they would fight side by side with their comrades, topple the Church, bring about reforms, have Hanneman and Linhardt cure her and Lysithea of their crests. And one day...when all was said and done...when Fodlan no longer needed them...they would step down from their roles, marry, retire to a nice cottage by the sea, and raise many beautiful children together.

Instead, Byleth was left alone and waiting. Waiting for a day that may never come at all.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it.” A voice beside her said. Without looking, Byleth nodded in agreement, her eyes still trained on the portrait before her.

“Between you and me...I think she was right. It was hypocritical of the Queen of Unification to strike her down only to bring Edelgard’s hopes for the future to fruition in the end. They could’ve just worked together, you know.” The person next to her, now clearly a female, bluntly stated.

“Yeah...yeah, it was.” Byleth said in agreement before turning to the person next to her. Byleth noted that she was a bit shorter than her. She had wavy, shoulder-length copper hair, a slender frame, and her clothing consisted of a red, knee-length dress, black tights, and brown boots. Byleth also saw that she had a sketchpad in her hand, the page showing a half-complete image of the portrait before them. That wasn’t what surprised Byleth, however.

What shocked her to the core was her resemblance to the last Emperor of Adrestia. Cute, heart-shaped face, button nose, pink lips showing a slight smile, and gentle lilac eyes that always made Byleth feel loved.

This was it. This was her sign. The one she hoped and prayed for a thousand years.

Without thinking, Byleth wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace, allowing a few tears to leak from her eyes. Slowly but hesitatingly, the woman returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around her as well.

“El...I found you…”

Finally, her thousand-year wait was over.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, and welcome! Here is the epilogue chapter of this little fic. By popular demand, it seems like Edelgard will be remembering Byleth after all. I know some of you wanted me to make her forget because of it's slow burn angst potential but I'm afraid that's too much commitment for me and I'm not sure if I'll have the time to write something like that. Also I'm not very good at slow burns so there's that.
> 
> Also, good lord y'all a thirsty af. The amount of kudos, comments, and hits for this fic after one day are more than what I usually earn in a month. So, thank you all so much for that. Enjoy this chapter.

“I’m back, my teacher.”

With tears in her eyes, Byleth separated herself to get a good look at the woman she’s loved for a thousand years. Edelgard gave a gentle smile as she wiped her tears away with her thumb. Oh, it’s been so long since she felt her touch. So much so that Byleth couldn’t help but hold her hand in place and nuzzle it before planting a kiss on her palm.

“It’s been so long.” Byleth said in relief. “I waited for you, beloved. For a thousand years.”

“I’m sorry it took me a long time to return to you, my love.” Edelgard said as she drew closer, close enough for Byleth to wrap her arms around her waist and lean her forehead against hers.

“El, I-I’m sorry...I-”

“Shush, my darling...let’s not talk of such things right now. We’ll have time.” She stated as she buried her face in the crook of Byleth’s neck. Almost immediately, Byleth separated from their embrace and crashed her lips against hers. Edelgard didn’t hesitate to reciprocate; it has been a long time, after all. When they separated yet again, Byleth smiled in relief.

“I missed that. But...I missed you the most.” She said with a smile. It was the most genuine she smiled in a millennium and it was all because of this woman in front of her. Her beloved. Her most precious student.

Her El…

“Come on, let’s go somewhere else. We have a lot to catch up on.” Edelgard said as she held Byleth’s hand and led her away from the museum.

And this time, Byleth was more than happy to follow her.

* * *

The next morning, as the sun peeked through the curtains of the room, Byleth stirred from her slumber. As her eyes adjusted, she realized that she wasn’t in her room. Then, she remembered the events of the previous day. Slowly, Byleth turned to her side and her breath was caught in her throat yet again.

Next to her, Edelgard was peacefully asleep, her face the epitome of calm. Her copper hair, shorter than she was used to, was draped over her bare shoulder. Byleth traced it with a single finger, glad that her body was no longer littered with the scars of the past. Instead, it was clear, unblemished. As if it was a symbol of a new beginning. With a smile, Byleth gently kissed the shoulder and drew her closer, revelling in the feeling of Edelgard’s fingers running through her hair.

“How’d you sleep?” Her beloved asked her. Byleth kissed her yet again, this time in those lips that she’s craved for so long. Now that she had El back, her kiss was like a drug that she can’t keep away from. When they separated, she answered.

“Better than I’ve slept in a thousand years.”

Byleth leaned against her elbow and observed Edelgard. Copper hair aside, she looked pretty much the same. Not that she minded; Edelgard was Edelgard and she wasn’t about to question it when she finally had her back. Still, there was something that bothered her. Not too much but enough to want to ask.

“How did you remember me?” Byleth asked her.

“I didn’t at the start. But when I turned 17, the memories gradually came flowing back. I didn’t know if you were dead, alive, or...came back like I did but...when I was passing by the museum yesterday, something told me to go there. I guess I know why now.”

Byleth nodded at her words before speaking yet again.

“El...I’m sorry. I should have stayed with you. I shouldn’t have sided with Rhea. I should’ve-”

“Why’d you do it?” Edelgard flat out asked her. All of a sudden, the mood in the room took a deep dive, becoming colder all of a sudden.

“Why did you side with Rhea?”

Byleth choked at the question but still, she answered.

“I-I thought it was the right thing to do. It wasn’t until after the war did I realize I made a mistake. But I couldn’t do anything anymore and all I could do by then was to create the world you wanted. You were right; I am a hypocrite.”

When Edelgard didn’t respond, Byleth cupped her cheek yet again and it was only then did she see the tears in her eyes.

“Did you ever truly love me?” Her beloved asked her. For the first time in a thousand years Byleth was shocked. She wanted to get angry and ask how could she doubt her feelings for her. But as quickly as she thought that, she also realized that Edelgard had every right to doubt her. She had, after all, claimed to love her and stay by her side, only to join another’s cause and strike her down in the end. Byleth wouldn’t even blame Edelgard if she was the one who wanted to walk away from her this time. Not that she was going to let that happen. So, she did the only thing she could do; answer.

“I love you more than anything. I always have. I don’t blame you for doubting me, but I will do anything to prove my love for you. If you’ll have me.”

As soon as she said those words, Edelgard let out a small chuckle as she wiped her tears. But despite them, she nodded with a smile.

“I will always want you with me, my teacher. But I suppose, we do have a lot to work on. And talk about.”

“We have time. So long as you’re with me, I’m willing to do that.” Byleth responded before opening her arms. Edelgard moved closer and laid her head on her chest as Byleth wrapped her arms around her smaller frame before she pressed a kiss to her forehead, savoring the closeness and the silence of the moment.

Her thousand-year wait may be over but it was clear that they had so much to work on.

But for now, that’s a bridge they’ll cross when they get to it. And this time, Byleth is more than determined to follow her beloved’s lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say?
> 
> Y'all know what I didn't say? I never said that Edelgard remembering Byleth was going to be sugar and rainbows. Of course, there was gonna be a bit of angst here. I am aspiring to be the gay Shakespeare, after all lol.
> 
> Anyways, I know this chapter might be weaker than the previous one and probably OOC but still, I hope you liked it all the same. Leave a kudos and comment if you did. And be on the look out for a angsty and fluffy Edeleth family one-shot fic I'll be working on.
> 
> Gay_Shakespeare signing out, y'all! :D

**Author's Note:**

> I left the ending ambiguous on purpose. Do you guys think Edelgard would remember or remembers Byleth? Or no? Tell me what you think and if you want me to edit the ending to reflect your wish (i.e. if it's clear that everyone wants Edelgard to remember her, then I shall incorporate that into the fic). Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed and cried a river. Leave a kudos and a comment. Please. Validate me. Let me know you liked this fic T_T.
> 
> Anyways, see yah. Gay_Shakespeare signing out.


End file.
